1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to insulated appliances and to methods of forming these appliances, more specifically refrigerators, freezers, and coolers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Insulation units such as refrigerators and freezers today are typically made from several basic components: an exterior cabinet and door, an inner cabinet or liner, insulation inserted between the two, a cooling system, a refrigerant, and fixtures. The cabinet and door are often made of aluminum or steel sheet metal that is sometimes prepainted. The metal is generally purchased in a coil that is either fed directly into the manufacturing process or cut to size and fed sheet by sheet. The inner cabinet is made of sheet metal, like the outer cabinet, porcelain, or of plastic. The handling and forming of the metal sheets for use in refrigerators requires large and spacious sheet metal handling equipment which is a significant capital cost in the manufacture of cooling units. Furthermore, a limited number of designs are practicable when using sheet metal as the exterior of the units.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of making insulation units, such as refrigerators, freezers, and coolers, in a more economic and flexible manner.